


when you say you love me (know i love you more)

by salrob (hanbrough)



Category: High School Musical: The Musical: The Series (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:53:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23640385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanbrough/pseuds/salrob
Summary: “Let’s see who’s the better teaching assistant. Whoever’s lab section has the most students with As in the class at the end of the semester wins.”“What’s in it for me?” Nini asks suspiciously.Ricky shrugs. “Whatever you want me to do, I guess.”“You’ll have to grade my section of the final.”Ricky scoffs. “Easy. But if I win….”“Oh god,” Nini says nervously. “What?”“You’ll have to go on the worst date ever with me,” Ricky replies.--or, nini and ricky are TAs for the same class and bet on who can help the most students get an A. and they're definitely not gonna fall in love along the way no sirree
Relationships: Ricky Bowen/Nini Salazar-Roberts
Comments: 5
Kudos: 98





	when you say you love me (know i love you more)

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first rini fic, so be gentle! some notes:
> 
> -loosely inspired by s1 peraltiago, my own experience as a TA, and @alovelylilt's rini aus  
> -i couldn't find a last name for Todd, so in this universe, it's Mousawi. if there is a canon last name, please let me know!  
> -EJ and Ashlyn have the same last name, but are not cousins  
> -Big Red and Ricky went to high school together, and so did Kourtney and Nini, but they didn't go to the same high school  
> -seeing that it's a college au, there's content warnings for underage drinking and cursing if you don't like that. i put those in the tags tho  
> -sorry that gina, seb and carlos aren't in this :( hopefully they will show up in my next rini fic!  
> -if you're not familiar with american college lingo, TA = teaching assistants. most courses have them; they just help the professors grade work and hold small teaching sessions / office hours.

**The Beginning**

“Kourt! I got the position! I got it!”

“Congrats, Nini!” Her best friend’s face appears on screen as the Facetime call connects. “I knew you could do it!”

“Thanks,” Nini grins, her face still flushed with excitement. “Prof Mousawi said they rarely take second semester freshmen, but I stood out among the applicants.”

“See?” Kourtney gestures through the screen. “They would’ve been dumb not to take you, especially after you aced the class this semester. You’re a computer science genius, Neens.”

“Aw, stop. Anyways, I’m headed to TA orientation now,” Nini says. “Let’s celebrate later?”

“Of course,” Kourtney replies. “Have fun with orientation!”

As Nini makes her way to the classroom, she feels unstoppable. Untouchable. She’s absolutely going to crush it next semester; she just knows.

Until she walks in the door and comes face to face with none other than Ricky Bowen.

Ricky’s smirk is unbearably smug as he takes her in.

“So,” he says. “Looks like we’re coworkers now.”

Dear God, why did the universe hate her?

\--

_3 weeks later_

“Excited for your first day, Roberts?” Ricky catches up to Nini as she wrenches open the creaky door of the auditorium.

“Excited to help the students because I want them to succeed, yeah,” Nini responds, dropping her bag on stage. “Less excited to work with you.”

“Oh, please,” Ricky cajoles, readjusting the podium. “I’ve done this longer than you have.”

“Oh, are you a sophomore or something?” Nini mocks. “I totally didn’t know that, not after the first ten times you mentioned it.”

“Ricky, Nini,” Professor Mousawi hurries in, looking haggard and effectively ending their conversation. “Thank goodness you two are here. Is everything set up?”

Ricky mock salutes. “You’re good to go, Prof.”

Slowly but surely, students start to file in. As the university’s intermediary computer science course, CS151 is always incredibly popular, with a range of grade levels and majors.

“Welcome, students!” Professor Mousawi’s voice rings through the auditorium. Nini knows from personal experience how commanding that voice is, and as expected, silence immediately falls.

“Whether this is your first time or one hundredth time programming, I hope you all get something out of the course. We’ll be doing different types of programming to familiarize you with overarching concepts….”

“How do you like it so far?” Ricky whispers as Professor Mousawi begins to go through the syllabus.

Nini rolls her eyes. “Bowen, it’s been, like, five minutes.”

“But you’re on the other side, now,” Ricky points out. “How does that feel?”

  
“I guess it’s pretty cool,” Nini begrudgingly admits. “I mean, a lot of these students are probably older than me, but I’m the one helping them.”

“...We have a staff of around twenty five teaching assistants, and two of them are here today to help you all feel more welcome.” Ricky and Nini snap to attention as Professor Mousawi gestures towards them. “Everyone, say hi to Ricky Bowen and Nini Salazar-Roberts.” Sheepishly, Ricky and Nini nod in response to the polite applause from the students.

They’re not really needed for the first class, so when Professor Mousawi begins the actual lecture, Ricky and Nini grab their bags and slip out. As Nini makes her way to the coffeeshop where she hangs out before class, she can’t help but smile. She can’t wait to actually start teaching, even if she has to do it with Bowen.

\--

“Here are your assigned lab sessions. Try to memorize your students’ names by next week.”

Nini looks down at her lab time, scanning to see if she’ll be teaching anyone she knows. Her grin widens when she sees a familiar Ashlyn Caswell near the top of the list. She can’t wait to tell her friend the news.

Her elation quickly vanishes as a certain Ricky Bowen’s whispers drown out the rest of Professor Mousawi’s words. He’s talking to another one of the TAs - what was his name again? Reed? Irritated, Nini shifts away from him, turning her attention back to Professor Mousawi.

“Next order of business: office hours. As you know, CS151 office hours are on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6-9, and Saturdays and Sundays from 2-6. I need you all to sign up for shifts….”

“God, Bowen, would you shut up?” Nini snaps, shocking even herself as the room falls into silence. While the other TAs gape in disbelief, Ricky’s smirk remains on his face.

“Ricky and Nini, that’s enough! See me after this meeting,” Professor Mousawi says angrily, before resuming her list of announcements.

Nini bites back her angry retort. _He was the one that started it!_ But she knows that’ll only get her into more trouble, especially as the youngest member of the group. She blinks away the tears that threaten to slip down her face, raging at how unfair the situation is. Screw Bowen and his inability to be quiet.

At long last, Professor Mousawi calls time. Nini watches bitterly as the rest of the TAs file out, eager to avoid being caught in between her and Ricky. “I’ll see you back at the room, Big Red,” Ricky mutters to the friend he was whispering to earlier.

_What kind of name is Big Red_? Nini thinks.

“So,” Professor Mousawi looks between them when the last TA leaves, not so subtly slamming the door closed. “You two have had an animosity towards each other since the beginning. Care to tell me why you hate each other so much?”

Nini stares at the floor, flashing back to the online discussion board for History210, at how Ricky had tried to one-up her at every turn. Ricky smirks but doesn’t answer, arms crossed.

Professor Mousawi sighs. “Fine, you don’t have to tell me. But if you can’t get your act together, your TA positions are at stake. For both of you.”

At this, the smirk instantly slides off Ricky’s face. “But she started it!” He exclaims incredulously, pointing at Nini.

“Oh, so you’re not only an asshole, but a liar too?” Nini snaps. “If you hadn’t been whispering in the first place, we wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“Enough!” Professor Mousawi shouts. “Figure out a way to get along, or else you’re both fired.”

Nini’s jaw drops, but she nods. She’s not going to let some white boy ruin her dream position. Beside her, Ricky nods as well.

“Good,” Professor Mousawi says stiffly. “I look forward to seeing the work that you do.” With that, she stands up and heads out the door.

It’s just the two of them now. Nini glares right at Ricky, daring him to break the silence. Finally, he speaks.

“Thanks for almost getting me fired,” Ricky says coldly, the humor from his expression gone.

“You could’ve prevented this if you had just saved whatever you had to say until after the meeting,” Nini shoots back.

Ricky rolls his eyes. “Fine. So we’re both at fault. But like it or not, we have to get along now.”

“Fat chance,” Nini mumbles.

Ricky sighs. “Okay, why don’t we turn this into a competition? I know you’re plenty competitive, Roberts.”

Nini sticks her tongue out, but allows him to continue.

“Let’s see who’s the better teaching assistant. Whoever’s lab section has the most students with As in the class at the end of the semester wins.”

“What’s in it for me?” Nini asks suspiciously.

Ricky shrugs. “Whatever you want me to do, I guess.”

Nini thinks. “You’ll have to grade my section of the final.”

Ricky scoffs. “Easy. But if I win….” Slowly, a mischievous grin spreads across his face.

“Oh god,” Nini says nervously. “What?”

“You’ll have to go on the worst date ever with me,” Ricky replies.

Nini groans. “What did I do to deserve this?”

“So are you in, or are you too scared?” Ricky taunts, sticking out his hand. Nini glares at him, but she’s never one to back down from a challenge.

She clasps his hand in hers. “I’m in.”

\--

“Want some company?”

Nini sighs as the familiar voice washes over her. Although she can hear Ricky’s footsteps coming toward her, she resolutely keeps her back turned, shuffling an already straightened pile of papers.

“Did you really have to sign up for the same slot of office hours as me?” Nini asks, scrunching her nose in displeasure. She finally turns around, and is met with a pair of big hazel eyes.

Ricky’s close. Much closer than she thought he’d be. Her mouth is inches away from his, and it takes all her willpower to keep her eyes upward.

“I absolutely did, sweetheart,” Ricky replies. “And don’t do that with your nose, it gives you wrinkles.” To her surprise, he boops her on the nose, leaving Nini speechless when he turns and walks away.

“Don’t you dare steal my students, Bowen!” She shouts belatedly, hating herself for feeling so flustered.

When the first set of students start to trickle in, Nini jumps on the opportunity. Unfortunately, Ricky has the same idea.

“Need any help?” Nini asks eagerly, at the same time Ricky says, “Want to work with me?”

“Uhh….” The frightened students look between the two teaching assistants in confusion.

Nini sighs. “Fine. Adam, you work with Ricky, and I’ll take you, Lulu.”

While their students’ backs are turned, Ricky and Nini silently flip each other off.

As office hours progress, the amount of people who have questions about the upcoming assignment keeps them busy. In fact, there’s not a moment of downtime until 10 minutes before office hours are scheduled to end.

“So, how was your first round of office hours?” Ricky breaks the silence as they stack the chairs up for the day.

“Great,” Nini replies genuinely. And it was - despite the bet, she really does want her students to succeed. “My students are really getting the material.”

“Oh yeah?” Ricky smiles. “So are mine.”

“Don’t be so confident, Bowen,” Nini rolls her eyes. “It’s only the first week of class.”

“Whatever you say, Roberts,” Ricky says. “See you later.”

Nini rolls her eyes as she closes and locks the door behind her. Ricky Bowen and his infinite confidence would be the death of her.

\--

“Why do you dislike me so much?”

Ricky springs the question on her unexpectedly one Saturday afternoon, during a lull in office hours.

Nini gives him a look. “Does the online discussion board from History210 ring a bell?”

“Okay, so I might’ve unfairly targeted you in my responses,” Ricky admits. “But it was never that serious. I thought you had good ideas - I just wanted you to fight for them.”

“If it wasn’t that serious, you shouldn’t have pushed it,” Nini retorts.

“Okay, but even that doesn’t warrant you disliking me this much. And that was a whole semester ago.”

Nini sighs. “I don’t dislike you. I just think you’re full of yourself sometimes, wouldn't you agree?”

Ricky snorts. “Yeah. Okay.”

“And Prof Mousawi lets you get away with it, too,” Nini continues. “Why does she love you so much?” She looks up to see that Ricky has stiffened at her words, a stony look on his face.

“Bowen?” She prods.

“She doesn’t love me that much,” Ricky says slowly, frowning. “I got in trouble too, at that fateful TA meeting.”

“But she still is okay with you whispering during said meetings,” Nini points out.

“Fine,” Ricky says reluctantly. “If you must know, she’s my mom.”

Nini’s mouth falls open. “But you don’t-”

“Yeah, she divorced my dad back in high school,” Ricky laughs bitterly, running a hand through his hair. “Married Todd less than five months later and took his last name.”

“Oh,” Nini says, unable to come up with a snarky quip for once. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Ricky shakes his head, forcing out a laugh. “It was a long time ago. It’s also the reason I started acting ‘full of myself,’ as you described it. It was the only way I thought I could get her attention, but now she just excuses it, thinking it’ll make me love her again.”

“Then why did you decide to TA for her?” Nini asks. “Couldn’t you have TA’ed for any other class?”

“You’re not the only one who genuinely loves this class, Roberts,” Ricky responds. “And like it or not, I’m good at my job.”

Nini opens her mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by a haggard-looking student entering the room. Ricky beckons her over, and the conversation ends.

Nini watches them silently. If she’s a little nicer to him for the rest of office hours, well, that’s neither here nor there.

\--

“Hey, beautiful.”

“Hey.” Nini smiles at the tall, dark and handsome stranger who’s just taken a seat next to her on the threadbare couch.

“I’m EJ. Do you have a name, or should I just call you beautiful?” The stranger - EJ - says flirtatiously.

“Nini,” She says, reaching her hand out to shake. To her surprise, EJ lifts her hand up to his mouth instead, gently kissing her palm.

“Nini,” he repeats. “A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

“Uh, thanks.” Nini blushes, unused to the attention. “So, um, what do you study here?”

“Talking about school at a party? I’d rather not,” EJ brushes aside her question. “Do you want to get out of here?”

“Um, I-” Nini barely gets two words out before his lips are on hers.

For a second, the alcohol rushing through her system wills her to enjoy the sensation, the validation of a hot frat boy being attracted to her.

But then the image of another boy, one with twinkling hazel eyes and curly hair, flits into her mind, and she feels sick.

“EJ,” she says breathlessly, pushing the older boy away. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this.”

“What?” EJ says distractedly, stroking her arm. “I’ll take you to my place - I’ll cook you breakfast and everything.”

“She said no, Caswell,” a voice Nini knows all too well by now sounds from above. As if she had manifested him with her thoughts, Nini sees Ricky standing in front of EJ, arms crossed.

“What does it matter to you, Bowen?” EJ scoffs. “Last I checked, she isn’t your girl.”

“Last I checked, she didn’t want to go home with you,” Ricky shoots back. “So you can fuck right off.”

EJ laughs derisively. “You first.” And without any warning, he punches Ricky right in the face.

“No! Stop!” Nini cries as the fight gains traction, with partygoers surrounding the boys in interest. “I-”

It’s probably a combination of the alcohol and how fast everything had escalated, but before she can get her next words out, she’s crouching on the floor, puking right onto EJ’s shiny new shoes.

“Ugh!” EJ grimaces in disgust at his ruined shoes. “You bitch.” He storms off.

“Nini,” Ricky crouches down to her level, stroking her back. “You okay?”

Nini groans, rubbing her temples. “Can you take me home?”

“Of course,” Ricky replies sympathetically. “Let’s go.”

It’s mostly silent as they walk the short distance back to Nini’s dorm. Ricky’s wrapped his arm so gently around her waist that for a second, Nini lets herself imagine them together for real.

And if he bids her with an equally gentle “good night,” and a reminder to take painkillers in the morning, well, she lets herself pretend that that’s real, too.

\--

“Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

Nini groans as she walks into the kitchen, last night’s events coming back to her in a rush. Kourtney’s casually sipping a cup of coffee, surveying her best friend with a mixture of amusement and worry.

“Did I really puke on a cute frat boy’s shoes last night?” Nini winces, graciously accepting Kourtney’s offered Tylenol.

“He wasn’t that cute if he wasn’t getting your consent,” Kourtney wrinkles her nose in disgust. “Good thing Bowen was there to be your knight in shining armor.”

“What? Oh, yeah,” Nini says. She vividly remembers her drunken thoughts about Ricky, and hates herself for it. “That was nice of him.”

“I didn’t realize you guys were that close,” Kourtney says, sliding a plate of pancakes across the counter. "I mean, he took a punch for you and all."

“Um, I guess we aren’t, really,” Nini bites into a fluffy pancake with a self-satisfied sigh. “But Ricky’s really nice to hang out with.”

She continues to blissfully devour the pancakes. When she looks up, she’s met with Kourtney’s inquisitive gaze, and blushes. “What?”

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kourtney inquires.

“Yes,” Nini responds. “Why?”

“You just said Ricky Bowen was nice to hang out with. Ricky Bowen, the guy who tormented you in History210 last semester. And since when have you been on a first name basis?”

“Oh, uh, we don’t really hang out,” Nini quickly backtracks, but it’s clear Kourtney doesn’t believe her. “We don’t, I swear! We’re just office hours partners sometimes, that’s all.”

“And what about the bet?” Kourtney asks. “Is that still a thing?”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t it be?” Nini resumes eating her pancakes. “I’m still going to kick his ass.”

“Hmmm,” Kourtney purses her lips. Nini glares at her friend. “What?”

“Nothing,” Kourtney replies, too quickly for Nini’s liking. “Nothing at all.”

\--

“Hey, uh, wanna get coffee or something after this?”

Nini looks up from her doodle, to see Ricky looking at her with….was that nervousness on his face?

“What?” Nini says.

Ricky shrugs awkwardly. “We never hang out outside of office hours. And I’d like to think we’re friends now, so do you, you know, wanna get coffee or something? As friends. Just friends, I promise.”

Nini mulls his request over. “Uh, sure, I guess.”

“Cool,” Ricky says, trying his hardest to not look relieved. “Cool.”

“Cool,” Nini repeats, and luckily, they’re spared the awkwardness when a student walks into the room looking for help.

“Uh,” Ricky says an hour later, when the chairs have been put away. “Do you have a coffeeshop you wanna go to in particular?”

“We can go to the one on Fifth Avenue?” Nini suggests. “I’m a regular there.”

“Okay, cool,” Ricky nods. “Lead the way.”

“So, what exactly do you do outside of CS?” Nini asks as they walk down the street. “You’re, like, always at office hours.”

“Says the one who always signs up for the same shifts as me,” Ricky points out.

“Touche,” Nini acquiesces. “But I asked first.”

“Well, I like to skateboard,” Ricky says. “Big Red - he’s one of the other CS151 TAs - and I are on the varsity skateboarding team.”

“I know him,” Nini nods. “What kind of name is Big Red, anyways?”

Ricky laughs. “I don’t think even Red knows what his real name is anymore, at this point.”

“Anything else, though?” Nini prods. “Your life can’t just be computer science and skateboarding, although that does sound sick.”

“I play the guitar, I guess,” Ricky shrugs. “I picked it up when I did musicals in high school. I had a dark past, I know.”

Nini laughs. “No way! I did theater too.”

“Cool,” Ricky grins. “So how did two theater geeks become computer science geeks?”

“Money, I guess,” Nini says. “You know what people say, about there not being any future in theater.”

“Fair point,” Ricky concedes. “Do you miss it, though?”

“Nah, not really,” Nini shrugs. “I like to write songs in my spare time, but that’s about it.”

“Maybe we should have a jam session?” Ricky says, just as they arrive at the coffee shop. “You know, for our next hang out?”

“Already thinking about the next one?” Nini laughs, stepping inside.

Ricky looks nervous. “Oh. Uh, unless you don’t want-”

“Don’t worry,” Nini reassures him as she places her order. “This is fun. Even if I’m still the better TA.”

Ricky grins. “You wish.”

He wishes he isn’t enjoying this half as much as he should.

\--

Something changes after that. Coffee hangouts turn into study sessions, jam sessions, and cooking sessions. They actually acknowledge each other when they pass each other down the hall. Life is good.

Until it all goes to hell.

Ricky stumbles into office hours five minutes late, haphazardly throwing his bag in the corner. Nini looks up from helping Abby with the assignment and raises an eyebrow. “You okay?”

“Fine,” Ricky says shortly, pulling out a chair more aggressively than normal and sitting down. Beside her, Abby looks at her with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry about it, Abby,” Nini tries to reassure the girl, although she feels like a hypocrite for not being able to follow her own advice. “Let’s get back to recursion.”

Ricky’s bad mood persists throughout office hours. He snaps at students for simple mistakes and looks so angry even Nini is a little afraid.

At long last, when the last stressed student all but runs out the door, Nini turns to Ricky and crosses her arms. Even though Ricky’s her friend now, she still has an obligation to look out for her students.

“What was that?” Nini questions. Ricky shrugs, only half paying attention.

“Listen, Ricky, it’s fine if you’re in a bad mood. But you know that as TAs, we’re not supposed to take it out on students. How you treated these kids today was unacceptable.”

“Why do you care?” Ricky shoots back.

“Excuse me?” Nini says incredulously. “I care about my students, because I’m a good TA. But even if I didn’t, you’re my friend, and last time I checked, I care about my friends.”

“Listen, Roberts,” Ricky snaps. Nini bristles at the unwelcome return to using her last name. “You don’t know me. You don’t know anything about me, or what’s going on in my life.”

“So I don’t know that you’re an incredibly kind, generous, and passionate person who loves computer science, skateboarding, singing, and his friends? But sure, I don’t know anything about you.”

“Fuck off, Roberts.” Those three words are spit with such venom that Nini is taken aback, and her concern is replaced with anger.

She laughs hollowly, hoping it’ll help her choke back down the tears that threaten to slip down her face. “So it turns out you really are just that asshole who whispers during TA meetings and annoys random classmates on online discussion boards?”

“I guess I am,” Ricky says.

Nini opens her mouth to retort, but nothing comes out. Without another word, she flees the classroom and only then, lets the tears flow down her face.

\--

“I thought he changed, Kourt.”

Nini sobs into a pillow, as Kourtney looks on in sympathy.

“I’m so sorry, Neens. I’ll kick his ass for you, if you want me to,” she offers.

“Thanks, but it’s okay. Is it crazy that even after what he said to me, I still care about him?” Nini says, wiping away her tears. “Why do I care about this so much?”

Kourtney resists the urge to blurt out the obvious. “Have you ever considered that maybe he’s not like your other friends?”

“What does that mean?” Nini asks in confusion.

Kourtney sighs. “It means that you don’t look at him the same way you look at everyone else.”

“What? No, he’s just a friend,” Nini insists. “Or was. Because I hate him now. Yup. Definitely. Fuck Ricky Bowen.”

She wishes she could mean it.

\--

Whatever their fledgling friendship had been shatters after that. They don’t even go back to their snarky banter; instead, Nini regards Ricky with ice cold silence during the next several office hours.

The source of Ricky’s anger soon becomes pretty clear; Professor Mousawi announces her pregnancy to the delight of her students and (most) of the TAs.

“Congrats,” Nini says, while the other TAs echo her sentiment. Out of the corner of her eye, she catches Ricky looking at her. She wants to say something, anything, to him, but she bites back her pride.

“Thank you,” Professor Mousawi beams. “Anyways, that was just a tidbit of good news I thought I’d share. Meeting dismissed.”

Nini hurries to grab her stuff and rush out the door when she’s stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

“Can we talk?” Ricky’s voice, soft and strained, rings out. Slowly, Nini turns around.

“I don’t have anything to say to you, Ricky,” she responds. “I have to get going.”

“Five minutes. That’s all I need. Please?” Ricky’s pleading, looking like she kicked his puppy. Nini sighs. “Fine.”

Ricky leads her to an empty classroom, where she sits in trepidation. “Well?”

“So I guess you know why I was so angry that day,” Ricky starts out.

“Yeah, but that’s not an excuse for being a dick,” Nini says. It comes out harsher than intended, but she doesn’t regret it. From the look on Ricky’s face, he knows he deserves it.

“I know,” he says. “But you’re one of the few people who actually knows why it made me that angry.”

Nini softens. “Ricky….”

“I didn’t mean any of the things I said to you,” Ricky continues. “I’m so sorry, Nini. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness or your friendship, but I’ll do anything to make it up to you.”

“I forgive you,” Nini says, walking closer towards him. They’re inches apart, and he can’t breathe. “Of course I do, Ricky, because I care about you.”

“Nobody makes me feel like you do, Nini,” he murmurs, and she’s whispering back, “I know,” before her lips are on his.

Time seems to slow down as he deepens the kiss. Running his hands through her hair, it’s bliss; it’s what he dared only to dream of, never thinking he actually deserved it.

“Nini, where are - oh.”

Jumping apart, they turn around at the interruption. Kourtney watches them with a triumphant expression, Big Red beside her.

“So I guess you two figured your shit out after all,” Kourtney says. “That’ll be $20, please.”

Big Red groans as he slaps a twenty dollar bill into Kourtney’s outstretched palm. “If they’d just waited one more week….”

“You bet on us?” Nini asks, amused.

“You guys weren’t subtle,” Big Red points out. “Even I saw it, and I’m oblivious to everything.”

Ricky laughs. “Fair point.”

“That reminds me!” Nini exclaims, looking up at Ricky. “Nothing about this changes the fact that our bet’s still on.”

“Ready to go on a real date when I beat you, Roberts?” Ricky smirks.

“We’d better be going on dates before that, or else you’ll just have to keep waiting,” Nini replies.

Kourtney groans. “Are you two always like this?”

“Yeah,” Bid Red sighs. “Guess we'd better get used to it.”

\--

“With 20 A-students in his lab section, I declare the winner to be….Ricky Bowen!”

Nini groans as Ricky dances triumphantly. “I only lost by one student.”

“So, ready for our worst date ever?” Ricky asks, afterwards, when everyone else has left.

“Can’t be worse than our past five dates,” Nini retorts. “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t,” Ricky walks toward her. “You love me.”

“Yeah,” Nini agrees as he pulls her into a kiss. “I really do.”


End file.
